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5. The habit of excessive drinking leads to the ruin of families, the
neglect of social duties, distaste for work, and is the source
of much misery, theft and crime. It leads also to the hospital,
for alcohol produces the most various and the most fatal
diseases, including Paralysis, Insanity and Diseases of the
Stomach and Liver. It also paves the way to Consumption,
and frequenters of public houses furnish a large proportion
of the victims of this disease. It complicates and aggravates
all acute diseases. Typhoid Fever, Pneumonia and Erysipelas
are often rapidly fatal in the subject of alcoholism.
6. The sins of alcoholic parents are visited on the children ; if these
survive infancy, they are threatened with Idiocy or Epilepsy,
and many are carried away by Tuberculosis, Meningitis or
Phthisis. (Consumption).
7. In short, alcoholism is a most terrible enemy to personal health,
to family happiness, and to national prosperity.
By Order of the Borough Council,
TOM HOSGOOD, Mayor.
Town Hall, Hackney, N.E. J. KING WARRY, M.D., D.P.H.,
28th September, 1905. Medical Officer of Health.
VACCINATION.
Below is given a summary of the Vaccination Officers' returns
for the half year ending June 30th, 1905. From this it will be seen
that there were 2,988 births registered during that half year, and of
these 1,799 were successfully vaccinated. Of the remainder, certificates
of conscientious objection were received in respect of 25, no less than
280 died unvaccinated, the vaccination was postponed in respect of
58, and 673 removed either to other districts or to unknown places,
and 146 are entered as not being accounted for. After deducting the
280 deaths from the total births, the successful vaccinations equalled
66 4 per cent. of the remaining births. This is an improvement
upon the proportion vaccinated during the first half year of 1904—
the proportion during this latter period being 64 per cent.